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wolfe10

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Posts posted by wolfe10

  4. Posted · Report reply

    Welcome to the FMCA Forum.

    This is likely two separate issues.

    It sounds like you have a pressure reducer on the shore water-- an excellent idea.

    1. You may have lost the air cushion in the top of your water heater. Water (like everything else) expands as it is heated. If there is an air cushion, the air absorbs the PSI increase. But if no air cushion, the PSI has to go somewhere-- water isn't compressible!

    To reestablish an air cushion open the pressure valve (flip the lever) and a hot water faucet (with shore water and on-board pump OFF). That should siphon the water down and reestablish the air cushion.

    If a Suburban water heater and you have not replaced the anode in over a year, removing and replacing the anode will also reestablish the air cushion (along with doing recommended maintenance).

    And if an Atwood water heater, removing the plastic plug (and replacing with another Atwood plastic drain plug) and flushing the crud from the bottom of the water heater will also accomplish the same thing (along with doing recommended maintenance).

    2. The pump should not be making noise all the time-- only when pumping. Are you sure it is the pump? If you can reach it, put your hand on the pump. Verify that it IS running (vibrating). Also, from a danger standpoint, verify that it is not hot. These pumps are water cooled (from the water flowing through them. With no water flow and continuous running, it could be a fire danger.

    Brett

  10. Posted · Report reply

    Roy,

    UV (sun) light is what is breaking down the plastic tanks.

    Remember in the Ford or other applications for which the tank was designed, it is under the hood, totally protected from sunlight.

    So, the answer is to protect the plastic from as much sunlight as possible.

    When in storage, you might consider a sheet of cardboard closed inside the grill to protect all plastic and rubber parts from sunlight.

    In some applications, a thin metal or black plastic (UV safe) "sun-block" may be easy to make.

    I am not suggesting getting carried away with this, but the less sun they get, the longer they last.

    Brett

  11. Posted · Report reply

    Nobility,

    Welcome to the FMCA Forum.

    Are you talking about a VHF (Marine Band) radio or SSB? If VHF, unless you follow marine traffic, it will have limited usability.

    Because we are sailors, we do throw in a hand held VHF on those trips where we will be near a coast or lake.

    And if the reason for the VHF is to receive weather reports, there are several popular CB's that do have weather channel. Our Cobra 75 WX ST does.

  12. Posted · Report reply

    Brett,

    Thanks for the response. I tried to send you a PM but I guess this forum does not offer PMs. So my question is: Where is a good place to purchase tires for a MH in the Houston area (preferably near Kingwood) that has knowledge of RV tires and not just truck tires? I have called numerous places but they do not know that an RV tire is different from a truck tire. Thanks again for your help.

    I have bought all my RV tires (Michelins) from Strouhal-- they DO know RV's and Aluminum Wheels: http://www.strouhaltire.com/

    Brett

  13. Posted · Report reply

    Brett,

    I couldn't find the specs on Murray's coach, but what I did see would lead me to believe his coach has a 50 amp input. Of course, I've been led down the garden path before.

    It IS (once corrected) wired with ONE hot, one neutral and one ground (standard RV wiring).

    Does he have a 30 amp service?

    No, if his coach is wired for 50 amp and his house wiring supplies two hots, a ground and a neutral, he can use a 50 amp RV outlet and connect it to the neutral, ground and each of the 30 amp supplied hots.

    Here is what it would look like:

    A hot to each of the outer straights.

    The neutral to the center straight.

    The ground to the center round.

    This way he has 60 amps available-- sure it is less than the 100 from a "standard" RV 50 amp connection, but better than a single hot with 30 amps.

    IF he only has three wires to that outlet, indeed, one hot, one neutral, one ground with a total of only 30 amps available.

    Brett

  14. Posted · Report reply

    Brett,

    You are great. I praying that the 120v appliances are not "destroyed" due to my ignorance. You are a great wealth of info.

    I am charging the batteries, so I can run off the generator to check the other equipment, because the shore power is not powering the appliances.

    Thank you very much.

    Murray

    And, before you do re-plug into that shore power outlet, please check that it has one hot, one neutral and one ground AND that they are wired properly.

    Brett

  15. Posted · Report reply

    Brett,

    I apologize. I meant to say one (1) hot, one (1) neutral, and one (1) ground, but I had it wired like two hots in the double-pole.

    Murray

    OK, let me recap:

    It WAS (since corrected) wired with TWO hots and a ground (i.e. like an OLD house 220 VAC dryer), a ground and no neutral. VERY costly mistake.

    It IS (once corrected) wired with ONE hot, one neutral and one ground (standard RV wiring).

    If this is correct, it is probably that any 120 VAC appliance you ran in your coach wile wired the "220 VAC way" is destroyed. This would certainly include your converter, charger or inverter charger as most are wired to power as soon as you plug in. If so, that would account for 12 VDC stuff not working (batteries not being charged).

    So, after verifying that you have the "once corrected" outlet and that polarity is correct (hot, neutral and ground hooked to the correct terminal of the outlet) you will need to systematically turn on all 120 VAC equipment to access the damage.

    With a digital voltmeter (from under $20 at Sears, Radio Shack, etc) check voltage at the batteries. Fully charged batteries (but with charger off is 12.7 VDC. 50% discharged is 12.2 VDC. Above 13 means the charger is working.

    Let us know what you fine or if you need additional help.

    Brett

  16. Posted · Report reply

    OK, let's start with the outlet and verify that it is wired correctly.

    It sounds like you ran a "regular" 4 wire 50 amp STYLE outlet but instead of 50 amp breakers, you used 30 amp breakers. Is that correct?

    If so, what you are plugging your shore power cord into is a standard looking 50 amp outlet (3 straight lugs and one round one)-- correct? Or does it look like a 30 amp RV outlet (two diagonal straights and one round)?

    Once we see how the outlet was wired, we may be able to tell you that it affected in your coach.

    Brett

  17. Posted · Report reply

    Jim,

    Here is the lighting sequence-- please let us know at what point it fails.

    1. The furnace has 12+ VDC to it (check with digital voltmeter at outside access to the furnace. Many models have a fuse on the control board as well as in your 12 VDC fuse box.

    2. When the thermostat tells the heater to light, the control board turns on the fan. IF, repeat IF there is adequate air flow to close the sail switch, the control board then opens the gas valve and turns on the igniter. If however, something is blocking the air return or the ducts are kinked, vents closed, etc, the sail switch does not close and the control board does NOT turn on the gas or igniter-- since it knows with inadequate air flow it could cause a fire hazard.

    3. In less than one minute (depends on brand and model) the thermocouple must signal the control board that indeed there is a flame burning, or it turns off the propane.

    4. The furnace continues to run until the thermostat signals that the set temperature has been reached (or one of the above safety cut-offs takes over).

    Brett

  18. Posted · Report reply

    Jim,

    In a word, YES.

    Using adapters to adapt a 50 amp coach "down" to 30 amp or even 15 amp is a common process, particularly for storage.

    In fact, our 50 amp coach is plugged in exactly like that right now (in storage garage).

    Of course one has to be very careful with what loads are run on "lesser" amp service.

    50 amp RV service is actually TWO 50 amp hots (look at the CG breakers-- there are TWO 50 amp breakers pinned together)= 100 amps available.

    30 amp RV service gives you 30 amps available (single hot). In a 30 male to 50 female adapter, the single hot in the 30 amp end is wired to BOTH hots on the 50 amp end so all circuits in your coach will get power).

    And with 15 amps, you have 15 amps available.

    Just as in your stick home, the power you have available does not mean you are using that much power-- it just means that that is the maximum that you CAN use.

    Brett

  19. Posted · Report reply

    I am not suggesting that this is not the correct size for your coach.

    What I am suggesting is that before you make a tire decision that you EVALUATE your tire's carrying capacity vs your actual weights.

    As I said above, IF your tires are rates to carry more than your actual weights/you DO have a safety reserve between your actual weights and the tire's carrying capacity, you are just fine with the size you have.

    But, if you are close to your tire's carrying capacity/you have to carry close to full PSI per your tire manufacturer's load/inflation table, THEN it would be reasonable to look into a larger tire/one with more carrying capacity.

    What are your individual wheel weights (best) or axle weights (not as good-- assumes perfect left/right weight distribution) when loaded as you go down the road vs your tire's carrying capacity?

    Brett

  21. Posted · Report reply

    Welcome to the FMCA Forum.

    Your sinks COULD be vented to the roof, or they could be vented to a check valve. Just look under the sinks.

    Next step (sounds like you have already verified water in all the P traps (including shower) is to minimize the vacuum inside the coach when you drive. Driving with side or roof vents open DOES create a vacuum inside and the tanks are one place that tries to "equalize the pressure". Driving with the dash HVAC to vent (vs recirculate) also helps, as it "pressurizes" the interior.

    Also, there are several brands of venturi style roof vent covers that create a vacuum in the tanks. A good idea of this problem persists.

    Brett

  22. Posted · Report reply

    The first question I ask when starting to look for tires is: Do the current size give me a load rating that leaves me any safety reserve, or are they loaded to the max? If loaded at or near the max, you not only have no safety reserve, but must carry very high PSI to allow them to carry that weight and that gives a harsher ride.

    On some coaches, you are pretty well limited on what size will fit. On other, you can easily upgrade to a larger size/higher load rated tire. This both gives a larger safety reserve, but allows you to safely carry less PSI for a softer ride.

    I happen to prefer Michelins-- that is what I personally run on my cars and motorhome-- they have always given me excellent wear, ride and handling. I am not recommending against the Goodyears, but have no personal experience with them.

    And when it gets down to choosing the specific tire, because it is likely that you will replace them based on age rather than tire tread wear, look for a tire that is less than 3 months old (last four digits of number molded into ONE sidewall of each tire indicates the WEEK and YEAR of production. So 1110 (11th week of 2010) or newer/larger number would be acceptable.

    Brett

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